IN THE CHRIST, GOD S MERCY ENDURES FOREVER

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Rodney Holland
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1 In Nomine Jesu IN THE CHRIST, GOD S MERCY ENDURES FOREVER Our sermon for this first Sunday in the Lenten season is taken from our Psalm. Hear again the Word of the Lord: I was pushed hard to fall; but YHWH helped me. 1 Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Today s Psalm begins and ends the Sundays of Lent, though with different verses chanted on the two days. A rough count places the 118 th Psalm, in whole or in part, in the public services of Christ s Church on at least five Sundays including three times on Easter Sunday and Monday. Its words also can be heard on three minor feast days of the Church. In addition, the words of Psalm 118 are given to be proclaimed in the Graduals on Pentecost Eve and the Tuesday of that week. That makes this an important text from the Word of God which has been with us for centuries in the worship life of the Church. Today, we have recited the first parts of the Psalm. Perhaps you noted, and now you will know, that the form in which we recited its words is a little different than the way we have been saying or chanting Psalms over the past year and a half. That was done so today to allow us to teach how it was likely used in the Second Temple period which ended in AD 70. According to history, it appears that the verses we spoke today would be sung responsively as the faithful processed to the Temple in Jerusalem. In addition, we think that Jesus followed the tradition of those who gathered for the Passover Feast on the day we call Maundy Thursday. That means that today s Psalm, as the ending of the Great Hallel (Psalms as we number them) would have been chanted by Him and His disciples after the Passover meal. They would have sung it as they went from the place of the Last Supper to the 1 Psalm 118:13.

2 Mount of Olives. 2 The words we heard today in part, would have been the last words of worship which Jesus would have participated in as part of the small congregation of the faithful before they all left Him and His final Passion began. Do you think that Peter, James, John and the rest of the Eleven would have considered what these words meant for Jesus as He headed into bloody sweat in prayer, arrest, sham trials, examinations, scourging, crucifixion and death? I was pushed hard to fall; but YHWH helped me. 3 Did you reflect on the meaning of those words as they applied to Jesus, as you through my lips today, offered them as a sacrifice of prayer today? Or, were you just looking at the upcoming bold text so that you would be ready for your turn to offer God s Word back to Him? (The hearing and speaking of the sacrifices of the New Testament priesthood is genuine work. That is because it calls for more than mere repetition of the printed text. Those sacrifices call for reflection upon that which we are speaking as the words are said. As we all have sinful natures, we are, at times distracted from hearing and speaking the Word of God in its context. This of course, we get from Mother Eve, who was tricked into giving an altered version of the Word of God). The ending words of today s selection from the Psalm also point us to the One who kept them perfectly for you and me for all the times we fall to temptation to inattentiveness to the Word of God: I was pushed hard to fall; but YHWH helped me. 4 Those words are also a tie to the Temptation of our Lord. He, as you heard today, was tested by the same deceiver who tricked Eve and moved Adam to sin. In that temptation, our Lord was put on trial with a threefold challenge to His Faith. The first came with the regard to His needs for this body and life. The second was an 2 Matthew 26:30ff. 3 Psalm 118:13. 4 Psalm 118:13. 2

3 attempt to get Him to test God and His Word. The third came in an effort to break Jesus understanding of the Word of God with regard to the First Commandment. Yet, on our behalf, Jesus held fast to the Word, even when the devil pushed Him hard to try to make Him fall from the Father s grace. That means that we can learn that Jesus thought so much about the value of God s Word. The Word we are hearing about today, the 118 th Psalm, Jesus quoted several times, in various parts, on several occasions. In particular, God-in-our-flesh declared that today s Psalm speaks of Him 5. For us today that Psalm section we are hearing about is divided into six sections according to the words used in the Biblical Hebrew. Hear anew how the first section of the last of the Great Hallel Psalms begins. These are the last words which would have been sung by the last Old Testament congregation and first Christian congregation before the passion, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus: All of you give thanks to YHWH: for His hesed (is) good into eternity. Say, I pray, to Israel: for His hesed (is) into eternity. All of you say, I pray, to (the) house of Aaron: for His hesed (is) into eternity. All of you say, I pray, to those fearing YHWH: for His hesed (is) into eternity. 6 Those opening words parallel each other from line to line. They are all tied to the giving of thanks for God s loving-kindness, mercy and grace. They begin with a call to the all those who would be of the Faith. They then move to inviting the people named with God s Name, to those who are the priests of God, and finally, to those who are God-fearers. They are either those converting to the One True Faith or those who are in the household of the Faith who actually live by opening words we have learned, or are learning. They are we who confess we should fear and love God about each of the meanings of the Ten Commandments. 5 Cf. Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; I Peter 2:7. 6 Psalm 118:1-4. 3

4 Then, following the address to each and all who would be included in the household of the Faith, the Psalm declares the reason why they, we, you, are in God s eternal House on earth hesed. That Hebrew word is used to show God s true and good Nature meanings contained in words combined in our language such as grace, mercy, unconditional love, loving kindness and so forth. That is why the Psalmist, and God s people who say that Psalm, are moved to be thankful. From all of that thankfulness for God s goodness, the Psalm now moves to how any person of the Faith, how you may use its words, even as did Jesus and the faithful disciples: Out of distress I cried to YH; He answered me, YH set me free. 7 From thanksgiving to the One True God on account of His loving kindness, the believer, even Jesus, has reason to cry out to Him in time of need. Jesus, who was to face the ultimate distress, the Father turning His Face from Him as He hung on the cross in our sins, still cried out in the Faith. In His time, according to His ways, on the third day, the Father delivered the Son out of death. He was set free! Just so He has done for you in Christ Jesus. For you, I and all who have died and risen to new life in Jesus, in the Christ, God s mercy endures forever. While our earthly deliverance from worldly trials may seem slow in coming, our eternal deliverance from spiritual trials which could separate us forever from the grace of God has been accomplished. In Jesus death, He destroyed death s hold over you. In His faithfulness, God has answered your pleas for deliverance. Those eternal truths free the faithful to declare of all our earthly trials, tribulations and temptations: YHWH (is) for me; I fear not what man can do to me,. YHWH (is) help for me; and I will see in triumph. 8 Those lines are tied together as they both begin with revealed Name of 7 Psalm 118:5. 8 Psalm 118:6-7. 4

5 God. They are not doubtful assertions of things that may be. They are, for the faithful who cling to the Word of God fulfilled in Christ Jesus, realities that exist. The believer who knows that his or her prayers are answered in Christ boldly confesses Who is on our side. Again, it is God, the Eternal One, Who creates and sustains all good things for those who bear and call upon His Name. With God standing before, behind, above and below you, nothing any person can do to you, think about you or say to or about you can stand beyond this lifetime. No temptation that can be laid before you has the eternal power to separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus as you remain in His Word, as in today s Psalm. With the Lord as your Help at all times, and most especially in times of need, you know you will see eternal days of triumph against all temptation. Even that which may come from mankind s most ancient foe you may stand against, through the same means Jesus used the Word of God in its context from Holy Scripture. That truth leads us to the next thoughts of the Psalm: (It is) better to hide oneself in YHWH, than to put confidence in man. (It is) better to take refuge in YHWH, than to put confidence in princes. 9 All the might of any person passes away when he or she dies. While we live, we know that with the Lord, as a child hiding behind his mother s legs, you are hidden from those you fear. No son of Adam, no matter how much worldly wisdom, power, knowledge, strength, no man has the ability in himself to live forever for himself, let alone to give eternal life to another. That is, except one Man, the Son of Man, the God/Man, Jesus. He when faced with all the power of man, even the power of princes King Herod and the Roman Emperor, through his representative, Pontius Pilate Jesus standing before them trusted not in them for salvation. He looked to the Word of God, the power of God to save, and deviated from it not one bit. When faced with the temptation of the 9 Psalm 118:8-9. 5

6 offer to rule all the kingdoms of this fallen world, Jesus held to His Father s rule. As you are in Him, you too may stand when those who place their hopes in humans fail. You will find true refuge in the Great I AM when even the most powerful humans in the world fail you the President, Congress and Judicial branches of this mighty land have no power to save you eternally. They barely can keep your protected on earth, in time. Think of how Jesus viewed the human powers arrayed against Him as our day s Psalm expresses such realities and the response of the Faith: All nations (are) round about me; (in the) Name of YHWH thus I cut them in pieces. Round about me, round about me; (in the) Name of YHWH thus I cut them in pieces. Round about me as bees they went out, as (a) fire in thorns; (in the) Name of YHWH thus I cut them in pieces. 10 Have you ever had a day or a time when it felt like the whole world was against you? That is just the thought our first Lenten Sunday Psalm is expresses. No matter who may be against you, even if it seems the whole government is bearing down on you (perhaps through an IRS audit?) you will never face that which Jesus did in His temptation and in His Passion. Yet, all the might of man, and all the power of the ancient serpent, were as mere bees before God in our flesh. Oh, they stung Him, bruised Him. But, in His death He conquered them all. In His resurrection, Jesus proved them to be what they are cut in pieces, their eternal terror gone. Then, in the Psalm, in returning to our theme text, we learn the Word of God declares: I was pushed hard to fall; but YHWH helped me. 11 Those words are true for Jesus, in the devil s temptation of Him. Those words are true for you as you remain in Christ, when you face the temptations of the devil, the world, and, yes, even your own sinful flesh. The Lord is your Helper. He has 10 Psalm 118: Psalm 118:13. 6

7 given you the Comforter. He leads you to Christ, in Whom God s mercy endures forever. The peace which passes all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus Lent I (LSB One-Year Series) Psalm 118:1-13; Genesis 3:1-21; II Corinthians 6:1-10; Matthew 4:1-11 March 9, 2014 Pastor Michael A. Morehouse Soli Deo Gloria 7

8 Translation, Second Draft, Psalm 118:1-13 All of you give thanks to YHWH: for good into eternity (is) His hesed. Say, I pray, to Israel: for into eternity (is) His hesed. All of you say to (the) house of Aaron: for into eternity (is) His hesed. All of you say, I pray to those fearing YHWH: for into eternity (is) His hesed. 12 From the distresses I cried to YH; He answered me in (a) broad plain, YH. 13 YHWH (is) for me; I fear not what can do to me, Adam. YHWH (is) for me help; and I will see in triumph. 14 Good to hide oneself in YHWH, than to put confidence in Adam. Good to take refuge in YHWH, than to put confidence in princes. 15 All nations (are) round about me; (in the) Name of YHWH thus I cut them in pieces. Round about me, round about me; (in the) Name of YHWH thus I cut them in pieces. Round about me as bees they went out, as (a) fire in thorns; (in the) Name of YHWH thus I cut them in pieces. 16 Push, pushed me to fall; but YHWH helped me. 17 Translation, Third Draft, Psalm 118:1-13 All of you give thanks to YHWH: for His hesed (is) good into eternity. Say, I pray, to Israel: for His hesed (is) into eternity. All of you say, I pray, to (the) house of Aaron: for His hesed (is) into eternity. All of you say, I pray, to those fearing YHWH: for His hesed (is) into eternity. 18 Out of distress I cried to YH; He answered me, YH set me free. 19 YHWH (is) for me; I fear not what man can do to me,. YHWH (is) help for me; and I will see in triumph. 20 (It is) better to hide oneself in YHWH, than to put confidence in man. (It is) better to take refuge in YHWH, than to put confidence in princes Psalm 118: Psalm 118:5. 14 Psalm 118: Psalm 118: Psalm 118: Psalm 118: Psalm 118: Psalm 118:5. 20 Psalm 118:6-7. 8

9 All nations (are) round about me; (in the) Name of YHWH I cut them in pieces. (They are) all around about me ; (in the) Name of YHWH I cut them in pieces. (They are) round about me as bees; they went out as (a) fire in thorns; (in the) Name of YHWH I cut them in pieces. 22 I was pushed hard to fall; but YHWH helped me Psalm 118: Psalm 118: Psalm 118:13. 9

IN NOMINE JESU. Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

IN NOMINE JESU. Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ IN NOMINE JESU REMEMBERING GOD S WILL Hear the Word of God for this Reminiscere Sunday, as this Sunday in, but not of, Lent is given to us to Remember that which God has done for us in Christ Jesus: For